ative sews his leathern dress.
I have now before me a piece of this Kaffir thread, as it is called.
In its dry state, it is shrivelled and contracted, and no one who was
not acquainted with it could guess the purpose to which it was
originally devoted.

Although the neck of the giraffe is so enormously long, it only
consists of seven vertebrae, as is indeed the rule throughout the
mammalia. It seems very remarkable that in the neck of the elephant
and of the giraffe there should be precisely the same number of
vertebrae. Such, however, is the case, and the difference in length is
caused by the great length of those bones in the giraffe, and their
shortness and flatness in the elephant.

The giraffe is a swift animal, and even upon level ground will put a
horse to its utmost mettle; but on rough and rocky ground, especially
if the chase be directed up hill, the horse has no chance against the
giraffe, which can hop over the stones with the agility of the goat,
and even leap ravines which no horse will dare to face. So energetic
is the animal when chased, and so violently is the tail switched from
side to side, that the long, stiff hairs hiss sharply as they pass
through the air.

Sometimes, but very rarely, the giraffe will miss its footing and fall
to the ground; but it recovers itself immediately, and is on its feet
before much advantage can be taken of the mishap. When it lies down
intentionally, it is obliged to pack up its legs in a manner which
seems extremely awkward, although the animal can lie or rise with
perfect ease; and, like the camel, it possesses callosities upon the
knees and breast, on which it rests while reposing.

The height of the giraffe is rather variable, but on an average is
from twelve to eighteen feet.

[Illustration: THE GIRAFFE.]

THE LION ON THE THRESHOLD.

At Rietriverspoort, South Africa, writes Lichtenstein, we came to the
dwelling of a farmer named Van Wyk. Whilst we were resting our tired
oxen, and enjoying the cool shade of the porch, Van Wyk told us the
following story:--

"It was something more than two years ago that here, in this spot
where we are standing, I had to make a daring shot. My wife was
sitting in the house near the door, the children were playing about,
and I was busy doing something to my wagon on the other side of the
house, when suddenly what should we see, on the doorstep, but the
shadow of a great lion darkening the bright daylight. My wife, qui